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Detection of Nodal Micrometastases in Head and Neck Cancer by Serial Sectioning and ImmunostainingWe investigated the incidence of micrometastases from squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck in neck dissection specimens originally staged as pN0. A total of 76 dissection specimens from 60 patients were
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UFT/Leucovorin Combined With Paclitaxel for Anthracycline-Pretreated Advanced Breast CancerTaxanes are the most active drugs in the treatment of metastatic breast and ovarian cancer. Weekly therapy with paclitaxel produces notable activity, with remarkably low toxicity.
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Pemetrexed in Malignant Pleural MesotheliomaMalignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a disease with a poorprognosis, related in part to the aggressiveness of this disease, and inpart due to the lack of drugs that have demonstrated tumor activity.Historically, antifolates such as methotrexate have been the most activedrugs in the treatment of mesothelioma. Newer antifolates haverecently demonstrated higher efficacy than older regimens in the treatmentof this rare disease. One of these agents, pemetrexed (Alimta),has been evaluated both as a single agent and as part of a combinationregimen. Pemetrexed has been studied in three trials in patients withMPM, and two phase I trials included patients with MPM. In a phaseII trial, pemetrexed was studied as a single agent in patients with MPM.Seven of 64 patients achieved partial responses, with a median overallsurvival of 10.7 months. A large, randomized, phase III trial was conductedto compare pemetrexed/cisplatin with cisplatin. The responserate was 41.3% compared with 16.7%, median survival was 12.1 monthscompared with 9.3 months, and 1-year survival was 50.3% vs 38% inthe pemetrexed/cisplatin and cisplatin arms, respectively. The combinationof pemetrexed/cisplatin also demonstrated superiority in qualityof life and pulmonary functioning analysis when compared withcisplatin.
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Commentary (Markus/Studer)-Testicular Cancer: What’s New in Staging, Prognosis, and TherapyThe management of patients with clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ-cell tumors is still highly controversial. In a recent survey, urologists and oncologists were asked to state their choice of treatment for patients with clinical stage I nonseminomas who were at high risk for recurrence after orchiectomy. Not surprisingly, urologists chose retroperitoneal lymph node dissection over chemotherapy, while oncologists indicated a preference for adjuvant chemotherapy.[1]
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HER2-Targeted Therapy for Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Comprehensive ReviewThis review discusses the treatment of primary, nonmetastatic HER2-positive breast cancer in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings-settings in which tremendous progress has been made.
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Niraparib Shows Favorable Outcomes in Germline BRCA+ Recurrent Ovarian CancerAn expert from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute discusses findings from the final overall survival analysis of the phase 3 ENGOT-OV16/NOVA trial.
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UFT/Leucovorin Combined With Paclitaxel for Anthracycline-Pretreated Advanced Breast CancerTaxanes are the most active drugs in the treatment of metastatic breast and ovarian cancer. Weekly therapy with paclitaxel produces notable activity, with remarkably low toxicity.
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Continuous Low-Dose GM-CSF as Salvage Therapy in Refractory Recurrent Breast or Female Genital Tract CarcinomaGranulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF,sargramostim [Leukine]) is a powerful cytokine that is able to stimulatethe generation of dendritic cells. Adjuvant treatment with continuous lowdoseGM-CSF has been shown to prolong survival of stage III/IV melanomapatients. Data on continuous low-dose GM-CSF therapy in tumorsother than prostate cancer are still lacking.
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Targeted Therapy: an Evolving Concept in Esophageal AdenocarcinomaEsophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) affects approximately 11,000 persons per year in the United States, is increasing in incidence, and is associated with an exceptionally high mortality rate.[1-4] In this issue of ONCOLOGY, Krasna reviews the role of multimodality therapy in the treatment of EAC. Poor outcome in patients with EAC is reflective of both deficiencies in early detection and the inadequacy of available therapies across stages.
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Paclitaxel and UFT Plus Oral Calcium Folinate in Pretreated Metastatic Breast CancerThis phase I study was designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting side effects of combination treatment with paclitaxel (Taxol) and UFT (uracil and tegafur in a 4:1 molar ratio) plus oral
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Continuous Low-Dose GM-CSF as Salvage Therapy in Refractory Recurrent Breast or Female Genital Tract CarcinomaGranulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF,sargramostim [Leukine]) is a powerful cytokine that is able to stimulatethe generation of dendritic cells. Adjuvant treatment with continuous lowdoseGM-CSF has been shown to prolong survival of stage III/IV melanomapatients. Data on continuous low-dose GM-CSF therapy in tumorsother than prostate cancer are still lacking.
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The Evolving Role of Cytoreductive Surgery for Metastatic Renal Cell CarcinomaMetastatic renal cell carcinoma is a devastating disease associatedwith poor survival. Immunotherapy is the mainstay of treatment, butresponse rates are low. The role of cytoreductive surgery in thepresence of metastatic disease is evolving. From both retrospective andrecently published randomized clinical trials, it is now apparent thatamong patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and good performancestatus, cytoreductive surgery followed by immunotherapy improvessurvival. However, this approach is likely to be detrimental inpatients with poor performance status. Clinical trials of novel agentsremain a priority in this disease.
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The Search for AntiestrogensVictor Vogel’s excellent review of the clinical basis for preventing breast cancer in high-risk women demonstrates the significant advances that have been made through the clinical trials mechanism. However, it is the progress in deciphering the link between hormones and the development and growth of breast cancer that is the true success story in this setting.
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2 Cycles of ABVD Plus Radiotherapy Is More Effective Than Radiotherapy Alone in Early Stage HD-Interim Ahan Radiotherapy Alone in Early Stage HD-Interim Analysis of the HD7 Trial of the GHSG Clinic of Internal Medicine I University of Cologne/GermanyBACKGROUND: Extended-field radiotherapy is effective in patients with early-stage Hodgkin’s disease, and more than
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Activity of Rituximab in Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphomas (MALT Type)This phase II study aimed to evaluate the tolerability and activity of the monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody rituximab (Rituxan) in patients with either untreated or relapsed biopsy-proven extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type, with measurable or evaluable disease.
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Relapsed Follicular Lymphoma: Response to a Fludarabine/Mitoxantrone Regimen and the Monoclonal Anti-CD20 Antibody RituximabOur objective was to determine the efficacy of a fludarabine (Fludara)/mitoxantrone (Novantrone) regimen combined with the monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody rituximab (Rituxan) to induce clinical and molecular remissions in patients with relapsed
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Encouraging Improvement in Cytopenias of Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndromes With ThalidomideMyelodysplastic syndrome patients present with variable cytopenias even though their bone marrows are generally hypercellular. Excessive cytokine-induced apoptosis of hematopoietic cells in the marrows has been proposed as a possible
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Docetaxel vs Mitomycin Plus Vinblastine in Anthracycline-Resistant Metastatic Breast CancerThis nonblinded, multicenter, randomized phase III study compares the median time to progression (primary endpoint), response rate, and quality of life, safety, and survival of
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Nodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma: What Do We Really Know?Typically, when one authors a commentary piece, a good template to follow is to start with some background material, review the major findings of the paper in question, and then focus on areas of controversy and unanswered questions.
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AL Amyloidosis: Who, What, When, Why, and WhereIn the current issue of ONCOLOGY, Gertz and Dispenzieri provide a scholarly review of the early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of immunoglobulin light-chain (AL) amyloidosis.
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New Combinations With Epirubicin in Advanced Breast CancerSeveral trials have shown that anthracyclines and taxanes can be combined to achieve response rates ranging from 70% to 90%, with complete responses ranging from 19% to 41%. In an attempt to increase the activity while
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Chronicling Strides in Understanding and Managing Rectal CancerAdvances in the treatment of rectal cancer, such as TME and CMT, have lengthened survival time and enhanced the quality of life. However, radiation therapy may have a negative impact on quality of life, especially in males. Future research needs to focus not only on survival but also on postoperative quality of life.
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New Developments: A Look to the FutureInflammatory cytokines plus the human immunodeficiency virus Tat protein apparently trigger the development of early Kaposi's sarcoma. Activated spindle cells provide a self-perpetuating, autocrine-supported mechanism for further development of hyperplastic lesions. In more advanced stages, a true neoplastic process may develop. [ONCOLOGY 10(Suppl):34-36, 1996]
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Navigating Treatment Options in Low-Risk Myelodysplastic SyndromesThis video explores the current treatment landscape for lower-risk MDS patients, including the various agents and sequencing strategies employed to best optimize outcomes.
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Docetaxel Combined With Vinorelbine: Phase I Results and New Study DesignsThis was a phase I dose-finding and pharmacokinetic study of vinorelbine (Navelbine) and docetaxel (Taxotere) as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. Vinorelbine dose, 20 or 22.5 mg/m², on days 1 and 5, was followed on day 1 by docetaxel every 21 days, in doses increasing from 60 to 100 mg/m².
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Phase I/II Trial of Irinotecan, Carboplatin, and Paclitaxel in Advanced or Metastatic NSCLCThis multicenter study enrolled 73 patients with locally advanced or metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study design was based on the hypothesis that the non-overlapping toxicities of a 3-drug
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Classification of Cancer Pain SyndromesChronic pain occurs in about one-third of all cancer patients and in about three-quarters of those with advanced disease.[1] A major factor in the undertreatment of cancer pain is inadequate pain assessment.[2] Pain assessment provides the basis for inferred pathophysiology that directs diagnostic evaluation and treatment decisions. Pain syndrome identification plays an important role in this process-much of clinical medicine is based on pattern recognition of symptoms and signs, leading to a specific diagnosis and therapeutic strategy.
